Community Newsletter of the Maimonides Hebrew Day School of the Capital District
404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208 (518) 453-9363 www.maimonidesschool.org

produced by Rabbi Mendel & students in the TNT (Torah „n Technology) Program
Maimonides is accredited by the NYS Board of Regents & is a beneficiary of UJF-NENY

maimonidesschool@gmail.com

Candle-Lighting:

4:05
Shabbos Ends:

5:10

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR YEAR-END APPEAL!
and enter a special drawing for a set of Maimonides Classics!
MAIMONIDES…
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10, 5771 / December 17, 2010

Provides Quality Jewish & General Education Nursery thru High-school since 1980
Maximizes its limited resources, making the most of tuition and contribution dollars
Reaches out beyond the classroom, programs & services benefitting the whole community
Needs YOUR help to support this vital Jewish educational & communal resource…

When allocating your charitable giving this time of the year, please think of Maimonides!
You can sponsor a day of learning in memory of a loved one for $180, or dedicate the weekly
newsletter for $72. Building dedications are also available. Each and every amount is greatly
appreciated and truly makes a difference.

This newsletter is sponsored
in memory of

Pasmindel bas Leah

on her Yartzeit
10th of Tevet / Dec 17 2010
by her son Dr. Edward Jacobs
To Sponsor this newsletter, please call the school office
453-9363 or email maimonidesschool@gmail.com

Thanks to our many supporters, the Raffle-Auction raised $13,900 for our Scholarship
Fund. This and other school fundraisers help bridge the gap between tuition and school
expenses, as more families depend on tuition-assistance during this challenging economic
time. Maimonides will not turn any student away because of an inability to pay.
In appreciation of your support and in honor of our namesake Moses Maimonides‟ yartzeit
(Tevet 20/this year Dec 27th), we offer a special contributors drawing (1 ticket for each $36
contributed) for the following sets of Maimonides books of your choice:
 Set of 20 Volumes of Hebrew Mishna Torah “Rambam L‟Am” by Mosad HaRav Kook
 7 volumes of Maimonides Medical Ethics by Dr. Fred Rosner
 The first 20 contributors of $180 or higher will receive Maimonides‟ commentary on
Avot, “Eight Chapters” on character, and his “13 Principles of Faith”
translated in one volume.
To be eligible for a 2010 tax-deduction, postmark your contribution by
December 31. To contribute by Credit-Card please call the school office
453-9363 or email maimonidesschool@gmail.com.

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MAIMONIDES
404 Partridge Street
Albany NY 12208

CHANUKAH EXTRAS IN THIS
WEEK’S “MC” NEWSLETTER
Most Chanukah events (school auction,
Chanukah skits and plays) were featured in
last week‟s “MC” newsletter, but we didn‟t
have room for everything, so see inside for:
 Morah Devorah‟s Grinspoon-Steinhardt
Educators Award Presentation - page 2.
 4th grade Chanukah-Report play - page 3.
 Sampling of interesting Chanukah events
and unique Menorahs that our students
participated in and reported about in TNT
class - page 3.
 Night-themed “Apps” projects that Middle
School completed this week.

From the Grinspoon-Steinhart Award Booklet:
“As a professional educator, Debbie zeroes in on each
child‟s academic and social skills, bringing out each
child's strengths. She models responsibility, teamwork
and trust. Students feel safe in her fair environment,
where students actions are accounted for, and
everyone is believed in…”
Morah Rochel, Judaic Principal

“There is nothing better than teaching Jewish children
and making our Torah & Mitzvot come alive for
them. I love to inspire them with creative projects,
and challenge them with questions… I strive to give
my students a solid foundation on which they can
grow with many warm memories that will stay with
them for a lifetime…”
Morah Devorah - Debbie Stark

PRESENTATION OF THE GRINSPOON-STEINHARDT
EDUCATORS AWARD TO MORAH DEVORAH STARK
Our beloved Morah Devorah was honored with the prestigious national award at a special event on
the 8th Chanukah night, after the school‟s Chanukah dinner, just before the Raffle-Auction
drawings. The event was chaired by Ted Levin who
opened with comments on an irony about
Chanukah‟s universalism and the Maccabees
focused dedication. The Grinspoon-Steinhardt
award was presented by Barbara Brodsky of the
Federation‟s Education Committee, who also
shared personal impressions when visiting Morah
Devorah‟s classroom as a speech therapist when
MHDS was housed at Beth Emeth. Lewis Gray
spoke eloquently as the parent representative,
putting into words what our parents and alumni
know first-hand about Morah Devorah‟s effectiveness with her firm but loving, joyous yet serious
teaching style and dedication to the needs and growth of our children. Morah Rochel described
Debbie‟s personal sacrifice and dedication in her long daily commutes from Saratoga for her own
children‟s education at Maimonides, even before teaching here. She extolled Morah Devorah‟s daily
fresh approach, after decades of teaching, treating each child with care, concern & enthusiasm, as if
it were her very first day. Morah Devorah shared personal remarks in accepting the award. The
program opened by lighting the Menorah, and honoring members of the community, school board
and Federation, each lighting one of the eight candle, and concluded with lively, uplifting
Chanukah songs in Yiddish, Hebrew & English by students in K-3 led by our enthusiastic volunteer
music teacher, Mrs. Lynn Gross. After the songs, the annual Raffle-Auction drawings were held in
the adjoining room (see photos in last week‟s “MC”).

Classical flutist Mrs. Sharon Levin came back
to school on Tuesday. She began by playing
both Jewish and fast-paced, hi-tempo Brazilian
melodies, which ties right into the “Music &
Movement” theme at school in connection with
the 250th year of the Baal Shem Tov who loved
joy, worked to uplift others, and encouraged
music. Then Mrs. Levin taught the students
about how a flute works. Unlike a recorder, or
other wind instruments, you don‟t blow directly
into the flute, instead, you blow just above the
hole and direct your breath into it. It‟s quite
challenging, and for some it can take weeks of
training until they learn to do it properly. Some
of our students caught on rather quickly!

MORE POST-CHANUKAH REPORTS...
Chanukah was such a busy and eventful week, not everything could fit in last week‟s “MC”, so here are some more photos and details:

4TH GRADE CHANUKAH PLAY: “THE MODERN & ANCIENT CHANUKAH REPORT”
This humorous play was performed on Tuesday of Chanukah (but we didn‟t have enough room in last week‟s “MC” newsletter to report on it)
by Morah Devorah Leah‟s 4th graders. The audience loved it! They knew all their lines by heart, and easily switched between Hebrew and
English, modern and ancient clothes, accents, and styles of speaking. It was as if a modern TV station was reporting live from scenes in
Jerusalem at the time of the Chanukah story. The kids were great sports, too. One student was missing, so another filled his spot. They painted
the beautiful backdrop scenery with Mrs. Levin in art class. They also performed this play at Ohav Shalom Apartments with Mrs. Laber.

TASTY VEGGIE MENORAH

CHANUKAH-BOWL

TOYS-MENORAH AT UALBANY

This was part of the buffet at Greenbush
Chabad‟s Menorah at the Public Library.

A Menorah made of bowling-pins was lit at
Friendship Circle‟s annual Chanukah Bowl.

Shabbos House students donated toys (thanks also to NCFJE)
to make this Toys-Menorah in the UAlbany Campus Center.
Some toys were distributed through the Friendship
Circle, and this week the HS Girls brought more of
the toys to the Ronald McDonald House on S. Lake.
Pictures of their visit in next week‟s “MC”.

CHANUKAH PARTY IN CLASS
These students enjoyed a 7th day Chanukah party
right in their own classroom...

MIDDLE-SCHOOL “APPS” PROJECTS ON “NIGHT”
Interesting student “special application projects” this month included recording their own dream
fragments, business cards for nighttime businesses, journal of a raccoon, info on bats, why Jews are
likened to stars, a decorated falling-asleep poem, an edible Menorah, comic strip, a historic Melava
Malka, a chart of earliest and latest times to perform certain night-time Mitzvot… more details next week!

at Maimonides and in the Community
12/17: FAST OF TENTH OF TEVET
An unusual situation this year, the fast-day (begins at
daybreak and) goes right into Shabbos, we break the
fast with Kiddush. It commemorates the start of the
siege of Jerusalem that led to the destruction of the
Temple on the 9th of Av.

1/15 or 1/22: SHALOM-BAYIT
MELAVA MALKA BEING PLANNED
Stay tuned for a Sat night Melava Malka in January
around the date of Tu Bishvat (date and speaker is
still being arranged) on the theme of personal growth
and family harmony. This will be the first of 3 events
in an annual series on harmony at home, good
parenting etc, in memory of Esther Aidel Cohen.
There will also be a children‟s program that same
evening run by the HS Girls.

WATER PRESSURE AND
AIR/SWIM BLADDERS IN FISH

12/18: SHABBOS CHAZAK

It might be too small to see in the picture,
but there‟s a dropper-capsule inside the
bottle of water that has oxygen inside and
paper-clips attached to its bottom. By
applying a pinch/squeeze the students can
get the capsule to float down to the bottom
of the bottle, when pressure is released it
floats upwards to the top. Dr. Sahay did this
science project with 5/6 graders (they each
took home a bottle to show their families)
to demonstrate how many fish use gas
(oxygen) filled bladders to float at different
water depths and maintain buoyancy.

This Shabbos morning we read Parshas Vayechi
which concludes Sefer Breishis and we say “Chazak!”
together at the conclusion of the Torah reading.

12/27-30: FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE CAMP
HS Girls will be staffing the Friendship Circle winter
break camp for kids with special needs, located at
HACD. Maimonides students have half-day school
that week up until and including Thursday.

NOTES FOR PARENTS
12/24-30: HALF DAYS AM ONLY
AM Judaic sessions only, pickup at 11:45am,
snack only, there‟s no lunch or bussing. There
will be special activities and learning planned.

Sat Night Dinner and Dual-Concert at CBAJ.
Shloime Kaufman (who just released another CD)
accompanied by the Strosbergs - for adults, and
Yaakov Yisrael (Jim) Costello with a simultaneous
concert for children. Dinner and concert cost is $30
for adults and $15 for children. Concert only cost is:
$20 per adult and $10 for children. $100 max per
immediate family. RSVP by Dec 26th.

Pictured above are three of a series of winter
words the 2nd graders are learning in
Hebrew. Maglasha is a sled, but it probably
gets more use in America than in Israel!

12/31: NEW YEARS WEEKEND
No school on Friday December 31st. School
resumes on Monday, January 3rd at 8am.

1/1: SONGS OF FAITH & HOPE II

HEBREW WINTER WORDS

It‟s especially appreciated as the weather gets
colder. Please sign up for a turn to cook up a
delicious soup in “Nathan‟s Kitchen” for the kids
(and faculty!) to enjoy during lunch-time.

MAIMONIDES SCHOOL (Nursery / Elementary / High School)
404 Partridge Street Albany NY 12208 (518) 453-9363 maimonidesschool@gmail.com
Founded in 1980, Maimonides is chartered by the NYS Board of Regents and is a UJF-NENY Beneficiary

NEW ON READING STREET
Mrs. Carroll‟s 1st graders are proud to show
off their brand new “Reading Street” books.

5/6 CHUMASH IS CURRENT
Last week they finished Parshas Vayigash in
time for the weekly Torah-reading, and this
week they are learning Vayechi. This doesn‟t
happen often, since it takes weeks to cover
one Parsha with all the Rashi‟s, reviews and
tests, but they had it now 2 weeks in a row!